A Love Affair with M/V Doulos and Books

Last February 13, I went to M/V Doulos with my classmates, schoolmates and teachers. We rode a Public Utility Jeepney instead of a bus. When we arrived I was filled with great astonishment for the ship’s great size. It was my first time to go aboard in a ship that big.

As we lined up ready to enter the ship, a very strict Filipino young man give us his instructions. After instructing us quickly but surely, we entered the ship which is clearly old, only repainted for it to look new. Well, there were lots of books in different sizes. There were also Christian tapes and CDs.

I know that the books are very knowledgeable about things and they are also a good source of different aspects of life, most especially values. I admired so many books. I love that Christian bible and those encyclopedias and dictionaries.

Unfortunately, I decided to go to the comfort room to answer nature’s call. I went out and urinated in the ship’s comfort room. When I was done, I went back again thinking I can still get in. But I was surprised when the security guard stopped me from entering. I told them that I was just urinating and I didn’t know that they have that kind of policy. I begged them but they did not really listen to me and they kept on repeating their words that it is their policy and they were just employees so they have to obey. Luckily, our teacher heard us call him and helped us to get inside again. When we reached the book store, it was already late in the afternoon and our teachers reminded us that we are about to go in a few minutes. I scanned the books very quickly. I had a difficulty deciding if I would buy that drawing book for little kids. I only had fifty pesos that time and the items which had that cheaper price were only the books for the kids, I mean, little kids. And I really wanted to have a souvenir book from M/V Doulos. On that time our teacher already called us to go home. I had no enough time to line up to the cashier to pay the book I had chosen. So, what I did was, I returned the books to where it was put and ran over to catch my classmates and my teachers going out of the boat.

When we were out the ship, I looked up and whispered good bye to the largest ship I had ever seen. I also said good bye to my happiest and most enjoyable experience in life. It was really enjoyable even though I did not get my admired book because I still read few pages, I mean, few short stories. I regretted that I had not bought those books as my remembrance. But I also did not want to waste my money on those silly drawing books. Actually, my problem was not really the time. The real problem was that - “I don’t have enough money!!”